1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to optically controlled semiconductor waveguide interferometer apparatus and, in particular, to semiconductor waveguide interferometers for optical signal processing. Accordingly, it is a general object of this invention to provide new and improved apparatus and interferometers of such character.
2. General Background
It is known that refractive index changes, in a connection with semiconductor laser materials, may come from the difference in material compositions (in the case of buried heterostructure), the elasto-optic effect as discussed by P. A. Kirkby, P. R. Selway and L. D. Westbrook, "Photoelastic waveguides and their effect on stripe-geometry GaAs/Ga.sub.1-x Al.sub.x As lasers", J. Appl. Phys. 50, 4567 (1979), or the stripe-loading effect as discussed in "Integrated Optics", T. Tamir, editor (Springer Verlag, New York, 1975). See, especially, pages 243-271.